Health_NN1 Reform_NN1 and_CC Small_NP1 Business_NN1 The_AT impact_NN1 on_II small_JJ businesses_NN2 has_VHZ become_VVN a_AT1 flashpoint_NN1 in_II the_AT increasingly_RR raucous_JJ debate_NN1 over_II health_NN1 care_NN1 reform_NN1 ._. 
Trade_NN1 associations_NN2 are_VBR charging_VVG that_CST the_AT pending_JJ bills_NN2 --_NN1 which_DDQ would_VM require_VVI all_DB businesses_NN2 to_TO provide_VVI coverage_NN1 to_II their_APPGE employees_NN2 or_CC pay_VV0 a_AT1 penalty_NN1 --_NN1 would_VM place_VVI a_AT1 huge_JJ financial_JJ burden_NN1 on_II their_APPGE members_NN2 ._. 
Republican_JJ leaders_NN2 are_VBR doing_VDG their_APPGE best_JJT to_TO inflame_VVI the_AT fears_NN2 and_CC opposition_NN1 of_IO small_JJ business_NN1 owners_NN2 ._. 
These_DD2 proprietors_NN2 would_VM be_VBI wise_JJ to_TO ignore_VVI the_AT rhetoric_NN1 and_CC take_VVI a_AT1 closer_JJR look_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 vast_JJ majority_NN1 of_IO small_JJ businesses_NN2 and_CC their_APPGE workers_NN2 are_VBR likely_JJ to_TO benefit_VVI greatly_RR ._. 
They_PPHS2 should_VM be_VBI supporting_JJ ,_, not_XX opposing_VVG ,_, reform_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 is_VBZ a_RR21 little_RR22 recognized_VVN fact_NN1 that_CST some_DD 70_MC percent_NNU of_IO uninsured_JJ Americans_NN2 come_VV0 from_II families_NN2 with_IW one_MC1 or_CC two_MC full-time_JJ workers_NN2 ._. 
Most_DAT of_IO those_DD2 workers_NN2 are_VBR employed_VVN by_II small_JJ businesses_NN2 that_CST do_VD0 n't_XX offer_VVI them_PPHO2 health_NN1 benefits_NN2 or_CC offer_VV0 coverage_NN1 that_CST they_PPHS2 ca_VM n't_XX afford_VVI ._. 
Small_JJ businesses_NN2 would_VM reap_VVI substantial_JJ benefits_NN2 if_CS their_APPGE employees_NN2 were_VBDR insured_VVN ._. 
Their_APPGE work_NN1 forces_NN2 would_VM likely_RR become_VVI healthier_JJR ,_, and_CC they_PPHS2 would_VM have_VHI an_AT1 easier_JJR time_NNT1 attracting_VVG or_CC holding_VVG talented_JJ employees_NN2 ._. 
Even_RR more_RGR striking_JJ ,_, with_IW health_NN1 care_NN1 reform_NN1 ,_, small_JJ firms_NN2 could_VM buy_VVI insurance_NN1 at_II substantially_RR lower_JJR rates_NN2 ._. 
Lobbyists_NN2 issue_VV0 dire_JJ warnings_NN2 that_CST small_JJ businesses_NN2 wo_VM n't_XX have_VHI the_AT money_NN1 to_TO pay_VVI for_IF coverage_NN1 or_CC to_TO pay_VVI the_AT penalties_NN2 and_CC will_VM have_VHI to_TO eliminate_VVI a_AT1 huge_JJ number_NN1 of_IO jobs_NN2 :_: more_DAR than_CSN one_MC1 million_NNO under_II an_AT1 early_JJ House_NN1 bill_NN1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT National_JJ Federation_NN1 of_IO Independent_JJ Business_NN1 ._. 
Such_DA fears_NN2 are_VBR grossly_RR overblown_JJ ._. 
A_AT1 vast_JJ majority_NN1 of_IO the_AT nation_NN1 's_GE small_JJ employers_NN2 --_NN1 those_DD2 who_PNQS have_VH0 25_MC or_CC fewer_DAR workers_NN2 in_II the_AT Senate_NN1 health_NN1 bill_NN1 or_CC annual_JJ payrolls_NN2 of_IO $500,000_NNU or_CC less_RRR in_II the_AT House_NN1 version_NN1 --_NN1 would_VM likely_RR be_VBI exempted_VVN from_II the_AT mandate_NN1 ._. 
An_AT1 analysis_NN1 by_II Jonathan_NP1 Gruber_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 respected_JJ health_NN1 economist_NN1 at_II the_AT Massachusetts_NP1 Institute_NN1 of_IO Technology_NN1 ,_, concluded_VVD that_CST those_DD2 small_JJ businesses_NN2 that_CST are_VBR not_XX exempt_JJ would_VM see_VVI little_DA1 impact_NN1 on_II employment_NN1 or_CC profits_NN2 ,_, although_CS employers_NN2 would_VM reduce_VVI wages_NN2 to_TO compensate_VVI for_IF providing_VVG added_JJ benefits_NN2 ._. 
The_AT nonpartisan_JJ Congressional_JJ Budget_NN1 Office_NN1 ,_, the_AT chief_JJ arbiter_NN1 of_IO the_AT impact_NN1 of_IO legislation_NN1 ,_, has_VHZ come_VVN to_II similar_JJ conclusions_NN2 ._. 
What_DDQ 's_VHZ been_VBN most_RRT lost_VVN in_II the_AT furor_NN1 is_VBZ how_RRQ much_RR most_RGT small_JJ businesses_NN2 would_VM benefit_VVI from_II provisions_NN2 that_CST should_VM make_VVI insurance_NN1 more_RGR affordable_JJ --_NN1 for_IF businesses_NN2 that_CST already_RR provide_VV0 coverage_NN1 and_CC for_IF those_DD2 that_CST have_VH0 been_VBN deterred_VVN from_II providing_VVG coverage_NN1 by_II cost_NN1 ._. 
Small_JJ businesses_NN2 that_CST currently_RR offer_VV0 coverage_NN1 often_RR pay_VV0 significantly_RR more_RRR per_II worker_NN1 than_CSN larger_JJR employers_NN2 do_VD0 for_IF the_AT same_DA coverage_NN1 ._. 
Under_II all_DB of_IO the_AT current_JJ bills_NN2 ,_, the_AT smallest_JJT employers_NN2 would_VM gain_VVI quick_JJ access_NN1 to_II new_JJ insurance_NN1 exchanges_NN2 --_NN1 where_RRQ plans_NN2 would_VM compete_VVI for_IF their_APPGE business_NN1 with_IW rates_NN2 comparable_JJ to_II those_DD2 enjoyed_VVN by_II large_JJ employers_NN2 ._. 
(_( In_II subsequent_JJ years_NNT2 ,_, slightly_RR bigger_JJR firms_NN2 and_CC possibly_RR even_RR medium-size_JJ firms_NN2 would_VM likely_RR gain_VVI access_NN1 to_II the_AT exchanges_NN2 as_RR21 well_RR22 ._. )_) 
And_CC many_DA2 small_JJ businesses_NN2 with_IW low-wage_JJ workers_NN2 would_VM be_VBI eligible_JJ for_IF substantial_JJ tax_NN1 credits_VVZ to_TO subsidize_VVI their_APPGE coverage_NN1 ._. 
Still_RR ,_, not_XX all_DB small_JJ firms_NN2 would_VM benefit_VVI ._. 
One_MC1 government_NN1 estimate_NN1 suggests_VVZ that_CST 39,000_MC firms_NN2 (_( out_II21 of_II22 a_AT1 total_NN1 of_IO six_MC million_NNO small_JJ and_CC large_JJ employers_NN2 in_II the_AT country_NN1 )_) would_VM have_VHI to_TO start_VVI providing_VVG benefits_NN2 or_CC pay_VV0 a_AT1 penalty_NN1 ,_, and_CC another_DD1 240,000_MC that_CST do_VD0 provide_VVI benefits_NN2 would_VM have_VHI to_TO increase_VVI their_APPGE subsidy_NN1 levels_NN2 ._. 
